When my husband and I were kids things were a lot different than they are now... We did not have cell phones, ipods, colored televisions with remotes, microwaves, or video games... We rode our bikes, ran instead of walked to our friends' homes.... We made forts out of cardboard boxes and fought the "robbers" down the street one day and the "Indians" up the block the next day... It was a fun time to be a kid and as long as we followed the one big rule our parents gave us during the summer....... GET HOME BEFORE THE STREET LIGHTS COME ON.. then everything was good...
I remember my friend Pam had a pool and we all thought she was so lucky and rich... only rich people had pools in those days. We would hang out at Pam's home almost everyday of the summer - cooling off in her big cold pool... Marco.... Polo.... was usually the game of choice.. To be young again in the early 70's...
Today -my kids have everything.... including their own pool... I don't think my kids have ever played Indians or robbers..... they don't ride bikes or scooters often because they are very busy with their outside sport - tennis and other activities away from home... When they are home - time is spent with homework, playing in our pool or just plain resting...
Nikki and Kara went up North to spend the week with their grandparents... Raising two sons in the 60's and 70's - it is hard for Nana and Papa to understand that what once was fun might not be fun anymore.... The bikes and scooters they got for my teen and preteen was not the big "hit" they had hoped for.... Nikki at the age of thirteen rather spend her time on her cell, computer, or laying out by the pool checking out the cute teen boys... Kara on the other hand will enjoy the bike or scooter for about fifteen minutes (to please the grandparents) then want to do something else...
It is a difficult generation gap to over come.... feelings get hurt... are getting hurt... Seven days is a long time to be away from home... nerves are getting strained and the excitement of the first couple of days is long gone..... Getting calls from my baby crying because she is homesick is tough to take.... Getting a call from the mother in law - with hurt feelings is hard to take..... Having my oldest show her "true teen" colors is hard for them to take....
Tomorrow the kids will be back home - and I miss them like crazy.... can't wait to get them and I am sure the in laws/grandparents are looking forward to having me take them.... The funny thing is that next year - the stress of this week will be forgotten and the grandparents will want the kids up North again.....maybe..
Sounds like everyone is ready for the week to be up. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glady you got a chance to renew your mind. Now, let's get ready to rummmmble (lol).
ReplyDeleteThe Street Light rule!!! LOL...I almost forgot!
ReplyDeleteAnd boooyyyy could my dad whistle loudly if we weren't on time!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say, that I am very thankful today...for the things that you describe you and your husband enjoying as children are all the things that my children still enjoy today! (No street light rule though because they're already home, running around our yard and woods, ha ha)
I love that each family can choose their own way of doing things, don't you? We don't have cell phones or i-pods or wii (I only just recently learned what that WAS...we got to play it at my brother's...it was really FUN!)...instead my boys play cops/robbers...the kids ride bikes, build forts, play house...the teens write stories and poems, do a little blogging...orchestrate plays for the little ones, etc...still lots of old fashioned fun to be had in the world for us :) (Maybe my kids should vacation at your parents' house, HA HA)
Don't give up hope Kell...next time you visit...maybe they'll have their OWN i-pods! My dad "got connected" and learned to use a computer/internet at age 80!!!!